1. Field of the Invention
Our invention relates generally to a rotatable plug assembly for incorporation in an electrical appliance, and, particularly, to a rotatable plug assembly equipped with one or more extra electrical outlets.
2. Description of the Related Art
Plug-in electrical appliances such as vaporizers, night lights, timers, and the like, are well known in the art. Typically, these devices are left plugged into a wall outlet for extended periods of time, thereby preventing or limiting the use of other electrical appliances in the outlet. To address this problem, several patents propose electrical appliances having an extra outlet to replace the one occupied by the plugged-in appliance. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,937,140 and 6,478,440, each of which is incorporated by reference herein, disclose examples of plug-in appliances with extra outlets.
Some types of plug-in appliances, particularly wick-based liquid vaporizers, must be in an upright orientation in order to work properly. Because some outlets are vertical (i.e., one socket is above another one), while other outlets are horizontal (i.e., side-by-side sockets), it is preferable for these appliances to have a rotatable plug which permits the device to be used in both vertical and horizontal outlets. U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,053, which also is incorporated by reference herein, discloses a wick-based liquid vaporizer having a rotatable plug.